Honesty and Brutality?

Question

When you consider how you deal with people in your life and on Y/A, do you find yourself being brutally honest or honestly brutal?

I posted this question because I was thinking of a few rare instances in which I was brutally honest with somenone. My intent was not to be brutal, but I realized that there can be instances where the brutality can serve to 'shock' a person into reality. I have actually had a person thank me for it afteward. Mind you. I don't resort to such tactics as a matter of habit, but only when I feel that the situation calls for it.

I was just curious if anyone else has ever had something like that happen and to see how honest a person can be with themselves. I will never know if you are or not, but you will.

Answer 1

Nobody deserves the truth, just because they'd like to have it. The truth is not for incompetents. Brutal honesty is something reserved for enemies. Like waiting till the last moment to catch them in a lie. Truth is a valuable commodity. It's the same from day to day. When you represent the truth, and the truth comes out, you will be responsible, while if you miscommunicate the truth, as in a lie, or disinformation, you can always claim idiocy and apologize. No such luck with the truth. You said it, it claims you, and the truth cannot be changed once it is unleashed. Once into circulation, the truth will not set you free, but you will be lashed to it and lashed by it. No fudge factor with the truth. Use sparingly, if at all. No woman, who loves her man, would ever tell him the truth. Brutal honesty is for prosecutors. Lies are for politicians.

Answer 2

Honestly I answer these questions based on the level of interest I have in each question I choose to respond to and get just as much satisfaction from reading the other answers as I do in answering myself. Good questions get more attention than lame ones. If someone mentions suicide I may write something more severe, but I am never more brutal than I am when giving other people in my life advice or information. Honest feelings are expressed but not always unbiased rhetoric, and therefore not always completely honest. I find that most people on yahoo answers consider themselves to have an abundance of clarity and prefer to think they are "right" all the time. Therefore they do answer brutally honest to embellish their ideas and to grab the attention of anybody who might care to read them. Now that I've given my highbrow opinion on the Y/A community I will also say that trying to distinguish the difference from answering brutally honest or honestly brutal is pointless due to the fact that the ideas being expressed by the answerer are being delivered with the same intention in both cases; considering you are abundantly right and the questioner must recognize this at all costs.

Answer 3

You can be honest, without being brutal. It all really depends on what type of reaction your trying to get out the person or people your talking to. Yes the truth hurts, but you don't need to add any extra sting. No I don't think you should sugar coat anything you say, but keep the brutality to a minimal. You and your family, friends, etc...will be glad you did. Because you let your opinion be heard, without being a complete jerk!

Hope this helps!
♥

Answer 4

Honesty is only an idea. Saying what you want to say and not filtering it through 'proper' social or cultural correctness is often seen as brutal in that 'sensitivities' can be damaged.
Being offensive for the sake of being offensive is another thrill seeking pleasure like yelling obscenities out a car window as they speed by at 40 mph. It means nothing.

You can not control how the receiver of your transmission will translate.

Answer 5

Honest. Period. One needn't be brutal about it, nor should "honest" be confused with "truth," (something said in another category where you posted this)??
I'm honest about my opinions only when I feel I may have something to contribute. Diplomacy & sensitivity are very important; to be civil & respectful even in disagreement. I do admit that I "may" seem harsh at times, when someone asks a question & is so blatantly self oriented, they're not really asking anything at all, just ranting about being a victim! But...that's my "job."

I just saw your details, & this is precisely what I meant by the word "harsh": "...brutality can shock a person into reality."

Answer 6

So what is the difference here? You just reversed the order of the same two words?? A touch of.... which came first, the chicken or the egg or the reverse....

I suppose if the cap fits... wear it....

The content pertaining to the honesty will do what ever it was divinely inspired to do by His agent to the recipient, in perfect measure, time and place, being one of His divine attributes.

This is my humble opinion which I share with you in answer to your request. If God himself were to ask me this question, I would not alter one word.

I sincerely hope this helps you....

P.S. I would not have chosen to reply to this question, without your deliberate request....... as sometimes my replies may be ..... guess what!

"A very Happy Thanksgiving to EVERYONE and their families and may He Bless you ALL" ++

Answer 7

I aim to just be honest, reserving my brutality for the times when there is no other option.

Answer 8

Like you, I've done both. I once gave a very stupid answer to very stupid question just to show the questioner the stupidity. She chose my answer as best.
I asked a question about the people who use YA and asked how many of them knew what metaphysics and epistemology was, or did they just think philosophy was "questions to be asked." The first answer was, "Well, don't we all wish we were like you."
This just goes to show, it does not matter how you answer, or why you answer, or what you ask or how you ask it--very few people here know what philosophy is.

Answer 9

I attempt to be always Truthful, from my own experience. No one can help the fact that, "Truth Hurts"!